Means for operating the gates of coal-tipples.



No. 814,009. PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906- L. E. ARMENTROUT.

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE GATES 0? GOAL TIPPLESL APPLICATION FILED AUG, 4. 1903. a BHBETS BHBET 1.

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No. 814,009. PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906. L. B. ARMENTROUT. MEANS FOR OPERATING THE GATES OF GOAL TIPPLES.

LPPLIDATXON FILED 1110.4- 1902. 2 SEBBTS SHEBT 2.

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WITNESSES /f JMJ Z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE GATES OF COAL-TiPPLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 906.

Application filed August 4, 1902, Serial Nor 118,402.

To all when it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER EMANUEL An- MENTROUT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Coaldale, in the county of Mercer and State of West V ir inia, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in Means for Operatin the Gates on Coal-Tipples, of which the folfowing is a specification.

The invention relates to the construction, arrangement, and combination of arts hereinafter described, and particular y pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and in which simiar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Fi ure 1, Sheet 1, represents a side elevation o my invention in connection with the gate of a coal-tipple. In this figure that guide of the coal-gate which would be next to the beholder is omitted to better show the construction of the gate and its guides. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is an elevation of that side of the machine which faces toward the right in Fig. 1. All parts which are to the right of the plane of the dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1, are omitted. Fig. 3, Sheet 1, is a detail, a front elevation of a crank and rod which are a part of the mechanism for operating the valve of the cylinder. Fig. 4, Sheet 1, is a detail, being a view of that ed e (or end) of the lever and of its sector-bras et which faces toward the right hand in Fi 1. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a view, partly in e evation, of the side of the preferred kind of cylinder and valve and piston-rod and cylinder-support. A portion of the valve-chamber and its ports and passages and of the cylinder and of the support of the latter are broken away to exhibit the interior construction of the valve-chamber, valve, ports, passages, and cylinder, the valve and iston and its rod being left in elevation. ig. 6, Sheet 2, is a view of the exterior of that side of the piston and valve chamber which faces toward the ri 'ht hand in Fig. 5. F ig. 7 is an enlarged detaiI view of one of the tappet-valves.

I will now proceed to describe in detail my invention and its application to the gate of a coal-tipple.

A indicates the inclined surface or bottom of a chute or similar channel or avenue down which the coal of the requisite coarseness comes on its wa to the receptacle into which it is to be umped. Ordinarily the receptacle into which the coal is to be dumped is a coal-car. When thecoal is to be dumped into a given receptacle until the latter is sufficiently full or loaded and then the flow of coal is to be stopped while that receptacle is removed and an empty receptacle is substituted in its stead in readiness to receive some of the coal held back above, a ate is necessary to shut off, to regulate, .ant to permit the flow of coal down the chute. B indicates this gate. The latter may be of any suitable form. In the present illustrative instance it consists of a piece or plate 13*, preferably of sheet-steel. Suitable guides for the gate are present, a preferred construction of which is as follows: Stationary u rights 0 C each carry angle-irons C O. These irons serve as guides, the vertical adjacent edge of the gate sliding between the two angle-irons of the upright O on that side, and vice versa. The gate B slides vertically, and for elevating and depressing it a handle is present. A suitable kind of such handle is shown and consists of the metal bail B riveted to the sheet-steel gate B Located, preferably, above the ate and on a platform I) D D D supported liy the vertical posts C C, already mentioned as utilized as supports for the guides for the gate, is the cylinder E. The immediate support for this cylinder is the iron cylinder-bed F, suitably constructed and here shown as a platform F fixed to and supported by the legs F F F F". To this bed the bottom portion of the cylinder is duly connected. Within the cylinder E is a piston E of any suitable conformation and construction. The engine is operated by compressedairorbyanysuitablegas. Steam is the preferred agent.

The referred construction of valve-chamber an valve and passages is shown, to wit: G indicates the valvecharnber, having a cylindrical interior G: and an inlet-aperture G thereto. One steam-passage H connects port H of the valve-chamber with port-opening H in one end of the cylinder E, and a similar passage I connects port I of the valve-charm or with the port-opening I in the other end of the cylinder E. There is also present an exhaust-port J, opening into the valve-chainber between and outletting at the side of the valve-bed which is connected with the cylinder, as shown. Within this valve-chamber is a rotary valve K, having a recess or chambcr K and operating in the usual and wellknown manner of such valves.

The valve is rotated by a shaft L, which is duly operated through intermediate means by a suitable handle worked by the operator. The preferred intermediate means enabling the handle to rotate the valve are as f ollows: The handle M is pivoted at NP and can be oscillated back and forth. In connection with the handle is an arc M, having notches M", adapted. to receive a sliding bolt M" carrying a lever M, ivoted to a fixed link of the han dle, and whlch when brought to the handle M withdraws the bolt from that notch in which it (the bolt) is. A spring M automatically operates to keep the bolt M against the are M and into the notch. it may reach when ever the bolt is not withheld by keeping the lever M close to the handle M. This areal mechanism for setting the handle M is well known in connection with the reverse-lever of a locomotive, &c. To the lower part of the handle is pivotally connected a rod L", whose other end is pivoted to the bent lever L, pivotally fulcrumed at L. The other end of the bent lever L is pivoted at L to the connecting rod L capable of being lengthened or shortened by the sleeve L. The latter is screwed to the two sections or lengths of the rod L by right and left hand screw threads in the well -known manner. The rod L at L is pivoted to the angulated lever L", pivotally fulcrumed at L and pivoted at L to the connecting-rod L, made in two parts, secured together by the sleeve L screwed thereon in the same manner as the sleeve L engages the two parts of rod L Rod L can thus be made longer or shorter. This rod L is ivoted at L to lever L The other end of t iis lever L is fixedly connected to the shaft L, which, it will be recollected, moves the valve K.

The steam circulation is as follows: N indicates the steam-pipe conveying steam from the boiler and entering the valve-chamber G- at G. At N this steampipe unites and opens into a cross-pipe P. The latter at one end connects with the upper end of the main cylinder E and at the other end connects with the lower end of this main cylinder E. In connection with one end of this pipe P is a puppet-valve P and with the other end of said pipe P is a puppet-valve P The stem of each puppet-valve extends into the cylinder E so far (see Fi 7) that before the piston E has made its ful stroke at that end of the cylinder where the puppet-valve is it has struck the stem of this puppet-valve, pushed it back, and opened this valve, and thus admitted steam under boiler-pressure into the cylinder between said end and the adjacent face of the piston. This steam thus admitted acts as a cushion and prevents the piston and its red E when the piston has reached the end of its stroke from roughly jerking or pushin the parts in connection with the piston-r0 E The preferred construction of the connection between the piston-rod E" and the gate B is as follows: The bail B is provided with i a swivel-link B pivotally bolted at B" to the bail B of the gate B. The upper end of the link B is perforated, and through it passes a rod R, having an enlarged end (preferably a nut) on it within the link. Thus the rod It cannot be pulled through and out of the link B. This rod R extends upward and through an opening in the sleeve (preferably a skeleton one) S and within the sleeve carries a head or nut S preferably the latter, and this head or nut S prevents the sleeve S from being pulled off of the rod R. The upper end of this sleeve is duly secured to the piston rod E or to an extension of the latter. here the distance between cylinder E and the sleeve S is considerable, the piston-rod E is usually provided with an extension connecting it and the sleeve. This connection between the pistonrod and the extension is made by a coupling, as T T T", well known in the arts. (See Fig. 5.) Between this sleeve S and the swivel-link B, I locate a spring W, embracing the rod E as extended.

Having thus described a construction which embodies and illustrates my invention, 1 will now proceed to describe its mode of operation. Let us suppose the gate B to be closed and behind it on the incline A a quantity of coal is ready to be dumped as soon as the gate is opened. The car or other receptacle being dul 1 located at and below the bottom of the incline and in readiness to receive the coal, the operator first sees that steam from the boiler at workin pressure is present in the steam-pipe N. Tie then grasps the handle M M and moves this to the right, Fig. 1viz, to the point Z. Such movement moves valve K, so as to 0 en port H to the steam in the steam-cham er G, and steam therefrom entering the cylinder through this port and pipe H and H below the piston E o erates to lift the latter and pushes it to tl ie other (the upper) end of the cylinder. As the iston thus moves it moves the pistonrod and the latter draws up the ate B. As the gate is elevated the coal be ind it rushes down the incline A of the chute and into the receptacle below. As the iston rises and is near the upper end of the cy inder it strikes the puppet-valve P The latter then admits steam into the cylinder above the piston, which steam balances the pressure of steam below the iston and cushions the iston, so that it, with its load of the rod and gate under motion, is gently but quickly stopped in its ascent without jar or collision and remains motionless, holding.u the elevated gate. The piston and ate wi 1 remain in this position; but when t at coal on the incline which is to be dumped into that receptacle has been loaded therein and it becomes desirable to lower the gate the operator moves the handle M M to the left to Z Fig. 1, and thereby moves the valve K, so that its recess K spans port H and 0 ens communication between the lower end 0 the cylinder E below the piston E (throu h passa e H H H and the esca e-port J, t ereby ex austing the steam in t e cylinder below the piston and openin a communication between the port 2 am? passa e I I and the valve-chamber G, thereby admitting steam into the cylinder above the piston. This steam operates to forcibly drive down the piston, and with it, descending, moves the piston-rod and gate. As the piston nears the lower end of its stroke it strikes and opens the puppet-valve P and the steam entering therethrough into the cylinder below the piston cushions the latter and in the manner described relative to the operation of the other puppet-valve P checks the rapid descent of the piston and gate and permits their further ascent in a slow and gentle manner to place. The spring W is also an additional aid in preventing a too sudden collision of the ate with the bottom of the chute or with possible pieces or masses of coal on the chute directly in the path of the descending gate. Such pieces or masses of coal may have accidentally slid or rolled there.

In the drawings, to obtain compactness of illustration, 1 have shown the operating-lever in a certain position relative to the cylinder and the gate. However, it is to be understood that the position of this operating-lever is to be varied and that this lever is to be located in a position most convenient for the operator to view the coal as it runs into the car.

I desire it to be understood that the position of the cylinder may be altered as desired, according to the requirement of circumstances. Thus, for example, the cylinder may be located so that its axis shall be horizontal, or substantially so. In such event there may be interposed between the iston-rod and the cushioning devices at the hail of the gate any suitable kind of the wellknown mechanism for converting a rectilinear movement into one at an angle therewith.

If the handle M be not moved so far to the right or to the left as already specified, the amount of steam admitted to the cylinder will be less. Thus the amount of steam admitted can be regulated and the power con tributed to move the gate can be regulated.

It is to be noted that the valve K is constructed so that when being moved in a given direction it gives a lead to the exhaust, as is well known in the construction of steam-engines and the like. It is to be noted that my combination of puppet-valves with such a valve enables me, while givin a lead to the exhaust, to use that cushion o steam present on the op osite side of the piston to start the piston and gate very gradually, so that when the steam-passage from the valve is opened the steam inrushing on the same side of the cylinder has less work to do in the initial movement of the piston.

My invention contemplates, as indicated in the opening part of my specification, the use of power other than steam.

The construction of the several features of my invention gives advantageous results. The invention in parts and as a whole is comparatively simple. It is economical in construction and in use. It is durable.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a chute, a gate, means for lifting and depressing the gate, a sliding and elastic connection between the gate and such means, said means being further provided with means for cushioning the stroke (movement) of the gate at each end of its stroke, substantially as and for the purposes s eci'lled.

2. T e combination of a chute, a gate, means for lifting and depressin the gate, means for moving the gate through its stroke, a slidin elastic connection between the gate and suii means, said means being provided with apparatus adapted to utilize a fluid for cushionmg the gate at each end of its stroke, substantially as and for the purposes specifled.

3. The combination of a chute, a gate, means for lifting and depressing the gate, means for moving the gate through its stroke, a sliding elastic connection between the gate and such means, said means being an engine adapted to be operated by a fluid and provided with apparatus adapted to utilize a fluid for cushioning the gate at each end of its stroke, substantially as and for the pur- -Io5 poses specified.

LUTHER EMANUEL AltlvlEN'lllOU'l. Attest:

B. M. HAGAN, Cnas. I. WADE. 

